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You
may work with us to obtain your People's Republic of China tourist
visa. We can usually obtain the visa faster and easier than if you do it
on your own.
If you wish to
obtain your own visa, bear in mind that an old one you have probably
won't be valid. Most tourist
visas are valid for only one entry. Travelers require a new visa for
additional entries into China. Chinese authorities fine those who arrive
without a visa up to 5,000 renminbi (about $600 U.S.) at the port of
entry and may not allow them to enter China.
Tourist
visas for individuals cost is $100 and are routinely issued at
Chinese embassies or consulates abroad. You can apply for a visa at the
Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., or at a Chinese consulate in
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco.
To
apply, you must apply in person or through a visa agent with your application form, valid passport, two
photographs and fees. CCE can help you to apply for your visa.
Our fee is $30, plus visa fee of $100 and postage. U.S. citizens applying for visas outside the
United States may be requested to fill out visa application forms both
in English and in Chinese.
Whether
you visit on your own or with a tour, allow several weeks for visa
processing. The Chinese Embassy and consulates in the United States
often require 10 working days to process visas.
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Foreign
visitors to the People's Republic of China are allowed to import
four bottles of wine or spirits and 600 cigarettes along with their
personal belongings. Items such as watches, radios, cameras, and
calculators imported duty free for personal use may not be transferred
or sold to others. Gifts and articles carried on behalf of others must
be declared to the customs inspector and are subject to duty.
Chinese
customs regulations prohibit the import or export of the following
items:
-
Arms,
ammunition, and explosives
-
Radio
transmitter-receivers and principal parts
-
Chinese
currency (renminbi)
-
Books,
films, records, tapes, etc. which are "detrimental to China's
politics, economy, culture, and ethics" (e.g. pornographic or
religious content)
-
Poisonous
drugs and narcotics
-
Infected
animal or plant products
-
Infected
foodstuffs
Note:
Videotapes may be confiscated by Chinese customs to determine that
they do not violate prohibitions noted above. Tapes are sometimes held
for several months before being returned. (There is no guarantee that
they will ever be returned.)
Export
of the following items is also prohibited:
-
Valuable
cultural relics and rare books relating to Chinese history, culture,
and art
-
Rare
animals, rare plants and their seeds
-
Precious
metals and diamonds and articles made from them.
Remember,
antiques and imitations which are approved for export are marked
with a red wax seal.
Be
careful of dinnerware purchased in China. Use it only for decorative
purposes, since improper glazing of some dinnerware for sale in China
can cause lead contamination in food.
Movie
cameras and videotaping equipment should be declared upon entry into
China.
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Currency
Chinese
currency is called Renminbi (RMB).
The unit of Renminbi is
the yuan and the smaller units are the jiao and fen (10 fen=1 jiao, 10
jiao=1 yuan). Yuan, jiao and fen are issued as paper banknotes but there
are also yuan, five jiao and fen coins.
Denominations
of yuan banknotes are 1 yuan, 2 yuan, 5 yuan, 10 yuan, 20 yuan, 50
yuan and 100 yuan. Jiao banknotes are 1 jiao, 2 jiao and 5 jiao and fen
banknotes are 1 fen, 2 fen and 5 fen. The
abbreviation for Chinese currency is RMB¥.
Foreign
currency cannot be circulated within the People's Republic of China.
However, licensed
exchange facilities of the Bank of China and other authorized banks will
accept and convert the U.S. dollar into Chinese Renminbi. Before leaving
China, unused Chinese Renminbi can be converted back into foreign
currency with a "foreign exchange certificate" which is valid
for six months.
Money
exchange facilities are available at major airports, hotels, and
department stores. Major brands of traveler's checks are accepted at
such exchange facilities and cash advances against a credit card can be
arranged, a service charge is usually added. The
Bank of China can cash travelers' checks sold by international
commercial banks and travelers' check companies in the United States.
Also the Bank of China sells travelers' checks for such banks as
American Express, Citibank
Consult
with your bank before departing the United States to be sure that
your brand of check or credit card will be accepted. Major credit cards
(American Express, Mastercard and Visa) are accepted by most major
hotels and in many well-known restaurants. Holders
of these cards can also draw cash from the Bank of China. However,
many of the smaller merchants accept cash only.
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Legal
Matters
Remember,
while in China, a U.S. citizen is subject to Chinese laws and
regulations, and those laws can sometimes differ significantly from
those in the United States. Carefully obey local laws, as the penalties
for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for
similar offenses, and the legal system does not afford the protections
available to the individual under U.S. law.
Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested
or imprisoned.
Chinese
authorities have seized documents, literature, and letters which
they deem to be pornographic or political in nature or those which are
intended for religious proselytizing. If you seek to enter China with
religious materials in a quantity greater than what is considered needed
for personal use, you could be detained and fined. Religious
proselytizing or passing out of religious materials is strictly
forbidden. Americans suspected of engaging in such activities have been
fined, arrested or deported.
Magazines
with photographs considered commonplace in Western countries,
including some advertisements, may be regarded as sexually explicit
pornography. Books, films, records, tapes, etc., which are
"detrimental to China's politics, economy, culture, and
ethics" will be seized by Chinese Customs to determine that they do
not violate these prohibitions.
American
citizens should be aware that foreign visitors and residents in
China have sometimes been detained and heavily fined for having improper
sexual relations with Chinese citizens. In most of these cases, the
foreigners involved had invited Chinese citizens to their hotel rooms.
Any
U.S. citizen who is detained by Chinese authorities for questioning
regarding this or any other violation of Chinese law or regulations
should notify the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. consulate as soon as
possible. U.S. consular officers cannot serve as attorneys or give legal
advice. They can, however, provide a list of local English speaking
attorneys you may retain and help you find legal representation.
Carry
photocopies of your passport data and photo pages with you at all
times so that, if questioned by P.R.C. officials, proof of U.S.
citizenship is readily available.
Do
not carry your original passport with you. Your passport and other
valuables should be placed in a hotel safety deposit box.
Criminal
penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs in
China are strict. Convicted offenders may receive severe jail sentences
and fines.
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Health
Remember, there
are no Western-style pharmacies stocked with drugs common in the
United States. Make sure you carry your medications, packed in their
original and labeled containers, in carry-on hand luggage to avoid
emergencies.
No
vaccinations are required for travel to China, however, the U.S. government recommends you be immunized for hepatitis B
and Japanese B encephalitis before traveling to China. Tetanus
and typhoid vaccines are essential for travel anywhere, and a rabies
vaccination is recommended. Check with your doctor for current
information.
Malaria occurs in
China, particularly in rural areas and in southern China. Depending
on the season and your destination, you may need to take antimalarial
drugs, use insect repellant, and take other measures to reduce contact
with mosquitoes.
Information on
health precautions for travelers can be obtained in the United
States from local health departments, private doctors, travel clinics,
and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention's international
travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559.
While foreign
visitors who become ill in China are usually provided with the best
medical care available in the country, remember that hospitals may not
be as modern and sanitary as those in the U.S. But generally speaking,
the doctors and nurses are qualified and competent.
Before your trip,
review your health insurance policy. If your policy does not provide
coverage overseas, consider buying coverage that does. Hospital costs
for non-Chinese visitors are similar to those charged for similar
services in the United States.
The U.S.
government highly recommends insurance covering medical evacuation.
Such insurance is inexpensive (less than $100 for a 30 day visit).
Without insurance, the cost of evacuation can be extremely high. For
example, the estimated cost of evacuation, using a stretcher and a
medical escort, from Beijing to San Francisco is over $20,000. There are
two internationally-recognized emergency medical assistance firms with
representatives in Beijing:
Asia Emergency
Assistance Ltd. (AEA)
14 Liangmahe South Road, 1/F
Beijing 100600
Tel: 462-9112
Fax: 462-9100
International SOS
Assistance (SOS)
Kunlun Hotel, Office Suite 433
2 Xin Yuan Nan Lu, Beijing
Tel: 500-3419
Fax: 501-6048.
Bear in mind that
tourist travel in China can be extremely strenuous. Tours often involve
walking long distances and up steep hills and may be particularly
difficult for someone in poor health. All visitors, especially those
with a history of coronary/pulmonary problems, should have a complete
medical checkup before making final travel plans.
If medical problems exist, a letter from your physician in the
United States explaining treatment and, if relevant, copies of your most
recent electrocardiograms, would be helpful in case a medical emergency
occurs in China.
Given
China's weather extremes and high air pollution rate, sore throats
and chest colds are also possible, so bring appropriate relief
medicines.
Visitors are
advised not to drink tapwater in China. Hotels almost always supply
boiled water that is safe to drink. Bottled water and carbonated drinks
are readily available. Travelers should carry water purification tablets
to use when neither boiled water nor bottled drinks are available.
Although
food is prepared fresh and cooked or cleaned thoroughly, stomach
upsets are possible so it is advisable to take some medicine with you.
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Climate
and Clothing
China
has a complicated climate. For instance, northern Heilongjiang
Province has a winter climate the year round without summer, while
Hainan Island has a summer climate the year round without winter.
You
may check with Ming to see what kind of clothing to bring.
Meanwhile, here are some general recommendations for packing clothing
for your trip to China:
-
Spring:
10-22°C, Western suits, jackets, sports coats, woolen jackets, long
sleeve shirts and travel shoes.
-
Summer:
22°C and above, T-shirts, short sleeve shirts, skirts, sandals,
caps, rain wear.
-
Autumn:
10-22°C, Western suits, jackets, sports coats, light woolen
sweaters, rain wear and travel shoes
-
Winter:
10°C or lower, overcoat, cotton clothes, lined coats. In very cold
areas a cap, gloves and
cotton-padded shoes
are required.
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Measurement
and
Electricity
China
uses the metric system for measurement.
The
electricity used in China is 220 volt AC. Many middle and high-class
hotel wash rooms have transformer plugs for electric shavers and hair
dryers, but it is better to be prepared with an adapter plug.
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Useful
Telephone Numbers
110
-- Police
112 -- Inner-city telephone mishaps
113 -- Operator of domestic long-distance calls
114 -- Inner-city telephone number inquiries
115 -- Operator of international long-distance calls
116 -- Information on domestic long-distance calls
117 -- Time
119 -- Fire
120 -- Ambulance
121 -- Weather forecasts
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Postal
Service
Cities
have post offices and some hotels also offer mailing service. Most
post offices offer express mail service, as do express mailing
companies.
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